Positively driven clearer roll



S. L- HUSS ETAL POSITIVELY DRIVEN CLEARER ROLL Filed NOV. 15, 1961 Oct. 29, 1963 3,108,309

INVENTOR$. SHoTT L. H u

230, F 7 and F2- D. 1x33 ZZb AM4MS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,108,309 EUSHTIWELY DREVEN CLEARER Etfllh Shottie L. and Fred D. Lynn, both of Rte. 1, Lineointon, NAG. lFiied Nov. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 152,4tt8 4 Ciaims. (Cl. 15-25652) The present invention relates to drafting mechanisms for yarn processing machines and more particularly to an improved clearer roll for such drafting mechanisms.

it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved clearer roll for a drafting mechanism engaging one or more of the drafting elements of the drafting mechanism and which is positively driven to wipe any accumulation of fibers from the drafting element or elements engaged thereby.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a clearer roii of the character described which engages two of the adjacent upper or lower drafting ele ments and which is positively driven in the same direction as these drafting elements to wipe any accumulation of fibers therefrom.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a portion of a drafting mechanism with the clearer roll of the present invention in operative position thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially along line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially along line 33 in FIGURE 1 with portions broken away; and

FIGURE 4 is an exploded enlarged isometric view of the clearer roll of the present invention and associated parts of the drafting mechanisms with portions removed and with portions shown in phantom lines for clarity.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FlG- URE 1 a portion of a drafting mechanism lid of a suitable yarn processing machine (not shown). The drafting mechanism it generally comprises a plurality of spaced stands 11, only two of which are shown, which are mounted on the frame (not shown) of the yarn processing machine. The drafting mechanism 1% extends for substantialiy the entire length of the yarn processing machine and the number of stands 11 will depend upon the length of this machine.

Drafting mechanism 10 further comprises a plurality of lower drafting elements, usually three in number, which are shown in the drawings as front and rear drafting rolls 12 and 13 and an intermediate roll 14 which drivingly supports lower long draft aprons 153. Drafting rolls i2 and 13 and apron roll i i are rotatively supported by stands 11. Drafting rolls 12 and 13 have longitudinally spaced portions thereof fluted as indicated at 1241 and 13a to define yarn engaging portions and apron roil 14- has longitudinally spaced portions 14a knurled or roughened to drivingly mount aprons 115. The forward end of each of the aprons i is supported by an apron bar 16.

The fluted portions 12a and 13a and aprons 15 define the lower drafting elements of a plurality of drafting stations which are arranged in successive pairs between each pair of stands 11. Each of said drafting stations have upper drafting elements which are shown herein as front and rear upper drafting rolls 2t and 2 1 and an intermediate roll 22 which rotatively supports upper long draft aprons 23. The forward end of each apron 23 is supported by an apron bar 24. Rolls 29, 21, and 22 have yarn engaging or apron engaging portions Zita, 21a,

arse-ta and 2211, respectively, and a portion 20b, 21b, and 22b connecting the yarn or apron engaging portions 20a, 21a, and 22a of each of said pairs of drafting stations.

Rolls 21 and 22 also have portions 210 and 220 at opposite ends thereof which extend longitudinally outwardly from the yarn or apron engaging portions 21a and 22a. Portions 21c and 22c are positioned in grooves formed in cap bars 24 which are mounted on stands 11 in a manner not shown to position portions 21a, 22a. of rolls 21 and 22 in overlying relation to portions 13a, 14a of rolis i3 and 14 for free rotation thereon.

Each of the front rolls 2% is supported in superposed reiation to lower front roll 12 with portions 20a cooperating with portions 12a by a front saddle member 30. Front saddle member St} has a downwardly opening concave portion 31 which rotatably receives portion 20b of 1 pper front roll 20 therein. A stirrup member 32 is pivotally mounted on front saddle member 30 and extends downwardly therefrom to a point where the same is connected to a suitable weight mechanism (not shown) which applies a downward force to stirrup member 32 to puli saddie member 3% downwardly to move upper front roll 29 into intimate contact with lower front roll 12.

A back saddle member 33 is pivotally mounted on front saddle member 3i) and has two spaced downwardly opening concave portions 34, 35 which rotata-bly receive portions 21b, 22b of upper rolls 21, 2.2, respectively. By the action of stirrup member 32 on front saddle member do, back saddle member 33 moves portions Zia of roll 21 and aprons 23 carried by portions 22a of roll 22 into intimate relation with portions 13:: of lower rear roll 13 and aprons 15 carried by lower intermediate roll 14, rep-actively.

A generally L-shaped bracket 36 having a substantially horizontaily extending portion 37 and a substantially vertically extending portion 38 is mounted on the front saddie member 3-9. Bracket 36 receives a clearer roil 4t) against the vertical portion 38 to rotatably support the same on drafting mechanism it Clearer roll 40 has a wiping portion 41 for each of the drafting stations and portions 42 connecting wiping portions 41. Portions :2 are of such length as to extend substantially between the drafting stations so that portions 41 are positioned in overtying relation to each of the drafting stationsv Portions 41 are of substantially the same length as the portions Zia of rolls 21 and as the width of aprons 23.

Portions 41 are covered by a suitable felt material 43 to provide good fiber gripping characteristics. Bracket 36 is mounted on front saddle member 3t; such that when portions 42 of clearer roll 40 are placed against vertical portions 38 of bracket 36 the wiping portions it of clearer roll engage the upper rear drafting roll 21 and the upper apron 23.

A pair of spaced gears 44 are mounted preferably on the portion 42 defining the medial portion of clearer roll 46. Gears 44 are spaced a distance slightly greater than the width of front and back saddle members 3h, 33, respectively, such that gears 44- straddle the saddle members 3%), 33 supporting the aforementioned medial portion 42 hereinafter referred to as the central saddle members. This straddling relation prevents lateral movement of clearer roll 4d. A pair of intermediate gears 4d are rotat-ively mounted on the central back saddle member 33 and have the teeth thereof matingly engaging the teeth of gears dd.

A pair of drive gears 46 are fixedly mounted on portion 22b of upper intermediate roll 22 and are disposed on opposite sides of the central back saddle member 33. Drive gears as have the teeth thereof drivingly engaging the teeth of intermediate gears 4-5 to rotate clearer roll 4%} 3 in the same direction as upper intermediate roll 22 and upper rear roll 21.

It is noted that while the above-described arrangement of the drive for clearer roll 48 is preferred the same may be varied without departing from the scope of the instant invention. In this regard, gears 44- may be mounted at any point along clearer roll 4% and can be spaced farther apart or closer together as desired. Also, drive gears 46 may be mounted on any of the upper rolls or on any of the lower rolls with appropriate modification of the intermediate gears without departing from the spirit of the instant invention.

In operation, the yarn or the like is delivered to the drafting rolls 13, 21 which feed the same to the aprons 15, 23, which in turn feeds the yarn to the front drafting rolls 12, 20. Clearer roll 40 is positioned with the portions 42 engaging the vertical portions 38 of brackets 3t; and with the portions 41 resting on upper rear rolls 2i. and upper aprons 23. As upper intermediate roll 22 rotates, gears 46 drive intermediate gears 45 which in turn drive gears 44. It will therefore be apparent that clearer roll 40 rotates in the same angular direction as upper rear roll 21 and apron 23 such that the engaging surfaces thereof are traveling in opposite linear directions. The clearer roll surface 43 therefore exerts a wiping action on both the upper rear drafting roll 21 and the upper apron 23 to more efiiciently and effectively remove any accumulation of fibers therefrom.

It will therefore be apparent that a positively driven clearer roll assembly is provided wherein any accumulation of fibers on two of the upper drafting elements is wiped from the surface thereof to prevent undue accumulation thereon.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. In a drafting mechanism for processing yarn, said drafting mechanism having a plurality of spaced-apart roll stands, a plurality of rotatable upper and lower drafting elements carried by each of said roll stands, said drafting elements being positioned in parallel relationship to each other and extending between said roll stands and being arranged into a plurality of cooperating pairs and defining a plurality of yarn drafting stations, the yarn drafting stations being arranged insuccessive pairs, a saddle member for each of said successive pairs of yarn drafting stations and being positioned between the upper drafting elements of each of said pairs; the combination of an elongate clearer roll rotatably supported by said saddle members and extending substantially between each pair of said roll stands, said clearer roll engaging two of the upper drafting elements of each drafting station, and means operatively connected to said clearer roll for retating said clearer roll in the same angular direction as the drafting elements engaged thereby to positively wipe the surface of the drafting elements engaged thereby and to thereby prevent the accumulation of fibers thereon.

2. In a drafting mechanism for a yarn processing machine, said mechanism having a plurality of drafting stations each having a plurality of sets of rotatable drafting elements, each of said sets comprising upper and lower drafting elements; the combination of an elongate clearer roll mounted for rotation on said drafting mechanism and engaging two adjacent upper drafting elements of each of said plurality of drafting stations, a pair of spaced drive gears mounted on one of said upper drafting elements for rotation therewith, a pair of spaced driven gears drivingly mounted on said clearer roll on opposite sides of the center point thereof to facilitate smooth rotation of the clearer roll, and a pair of intermediate gears operatively positioned between said drive gears and said driven gears to rotate said clearer roll in the same direction as said upper drafting elements to wipe the upper drafting elements engaged thereby for preventing the accumulation of fibers thereon.

3. In a drafting mechanism for processing yarn, said drafting mechanism having a plurality of spaced-apart roll stands, a plurality of rotatable upper and lower drafting elements carried by each of said roll stands, said drafting elements being positioned in parallel relationship to each other and extending between said roll stands and being arranged into a plurality of cooperating pairs and defining a plurality of yarn drafting stations, the yarn drafting stations being arranged in successive pairs, a saddle member for each of said successive pairs of yarn drafting stations and being positioned between the upper drafting elements of each of said pairs; the combination of a clearer roll rotatively supported by said saddle members and extending substantially between each pair of said stands, said clearer roll engaging two of the upper drafting elements of each drafting station, a pair of gears mounted on said clearer roll and being positioned adjacent opposite sides of one of the saddle members and serving to prevent lateral movement of said clearer roll, a pair of intermediate gears rotatively mounted on said one saddle member and operatively engaging said clearer roll gears, and a pair of drive gears carried by one of said upper drafting elements and operatively engaging said intermediate gears to rotate said clearer roll in the same direction as said upper drafting elements to wipe the upper drafting elements engaged thereby for preventing the accumulation of fibers thereon.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said successive pairs of drafting stations and said saddle members are three in number, the intermediate saddle member supporting the center portion of said clearer roll, and said clearer roll gear-s being positioned adjacent opposite sides of said intermediate saddle member and on opposite sides of the center point of said clearer roll to facilitate smooth rotation thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 313,790 Walker Mar. 10, 1885 437,863 Marvin et al. Oct. 7, 1890 2,583,281 Strassler Ian. 22, 1952 2,948,023 Bonalurni Aug. 9, 1960 2,951,268 West Sept. 6, 1960 

1. IN A DRAFTING MECHANISM FOR PROCESSING YARN SAID DRAFTING MECHANISM HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED-APART ROLL STANDS, A PLURALITY OF ROTATABLE UPPER AND LOWER DRAFTING ELEMENTS CARRIED BY EACH OF SAID ROLL STANDS, SAID DRAFTING ELEMENTS BEING POSITIONED IN PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID ROLL STANDS AND BEING ARRANGED INTO A PLURALITY OF COOPERATING PAIRS AND DEFINING A PLURALITY OF YARN DRAFTING STATIONS, THE YARN DRAFTING STATIONS BEING ARRANGED IN SUCCESSIVE PAIRS, A SADDLE MEMBER FOR EACH OF SAID SUCCESSIVE PAIRS OF YARN DRAFTING STATIONS AND BEING POSITIONED BETWEEN THE UPPER DRAFTING ELEMENTS OF EACH OF SAID PAIRS; THE COMBINATION OF 